Chameera defends nine to take Sri Lanka to Tri-Series final

Chameera defends nine to take Sri Lanka to Tri-Series final

Chameera picked up four wickets ©Getty

Kamil Mishara and Kusal Mendis' effective knocks followed by a four-wicket haul for Dushmantha Chameera helped Sri Lanka prevail by a narrow margin of 6 runs in their must-win T20I tri-series game against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. Riding on Mishara's 76 off 48 and Mendis' 23-ball 40 Sri Lanka posted 184/5, before restricting Pakistan to 178/7. Dushmantha Chameera finished with 4 for 20, including an excellent final over in which he defended 9, as they booked a spot in the final against the same team.

Pathum Nissanka fell for 8 in the third over but a strong partnership between Mishara and Mendis ensued, giving Sri Lanka a great platform. Mendis led the charge with a flurry of fours, and also a six off Mohammad Wasim, as he powered Sri Lanka to 58/1 at the end of the PowerPlay. Mishara too got into the act, dispatching Mohammad Nawaz for a maximum as Sri Lanka raced to 82/1 after 8 overs. The partnership, worth 66 off 36 balls, came to an end when Abrar Ahmed trapped Mendis leg-before.

Kusal Perera fell cheaply but Mishara continued to find the boundaries and brought up his fifty with a six off Saim Ayub , getting to the mark in 34 deliveries. He also struck a maximum off Abrar but fell soon after, pulling one to deep midwicket. Useful runs from Janith Liyanage and Dasun Shanaka helped Sri Lanka cross the 180-run mark as they added 31 runs in the last three overs.

Pakistan openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan got their team off to a positive start in the chase as they got to 28 after three overs. But a double-wicket over from Chameera began a slide for the hosts. Chameera had Farhan caught at cover-point with a pace-off delivery before trapping Babar Azam in front, dismissing the batter for his fourth duck in nine T20I innings. Ayub was the next to go, bowled by Eshan Malinga soon after hitting a six, while Fakhar Zaman fell to Chameera in the final over of the PowerPlay, leaving Pakistan at 43/4.

While Salman Agha was taking his time to get going, Usman Khan gave the chase some impetus with his six off Hasaranga and some boundaries to follow, taking them to 70/4 at the halfway stage. Agha got going with a maximum off Malinga, and Usman struck another six off Hasaranga as they extended their partnership past 50. But Usman, going for another big hit, fell to the legspinner. Agha then took over as he upped the ante with regular boundaries and brought up his fifty with a six off Malinga, bringing the equation to 48 off 24.

Maheesh Theekshana bowled an expensive 17th over, conceding 12, including a six for Agha, while Nawaz struck a six and a four off Chameera to take 14 off the 18th over. With 22 needed off the last two overs, Nawaz began the 19th over with a six off Malinga but fell after, handing a catch to long off. Faheem Ashraf, who was put down by the bowler, hit a four to bring the equation to 10 off 6. Chameera then came along and bowled a terrific over. He conceded only three off the first four deliveries before getting Ashraf out, and bowled a dot to deliver the win for his team.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 184/5 in 20 overs (Kamil Mishara 76, Kusal Mendis 40; Abrar Ahmed 2-28) beat Pakistan 178/7 in 20 overs (Salman Agha 63, Usman Khan 33; Dushmantha Chameera 4-20) by 6 runs

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Matthew Humphreys, Harry Tector fashion early lead for Ireland

Matthew Humphreys, Harry Tector fashion early lead for Ireland

Harry Tector made his highest T20I score of 69* ©BCB

Following a dismal Test series, where they went down to Bangladesh 2-0, Ireland made a positive start to the T20I series by claiming a 39-run win at Chattogram in the first of three T20Is. Harry Tector's 69 not-out helped Ireland post a formidable total before Matthew Humphreys' four-wicket haul held Bangladesh at bay despite Towhid Hridoy's fighting 83 not-out.

After being asked to bat first, Ireland's openers made a strong start and shared a 40-run stand. Paul Stirling struck Shoriful Islam for two fours in the first over while Tim Tector struck him for three boundaries in a row when he returned to bowl an 18-run third over. Stirling fell against the run of play in the fifth over after miscuing a pull shot against Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

The Tector brothers, Tim and Harry, combined to keep Ireland's momentum going. They struck a six and four of Rishad Hossain just after the PowerPlay but the leg-spinner would have his revenge as he dismissed Tim an over later. Harry continued to keep his foot on the pedal and was ably supported by Lorcan Tucker, Curtis Campher and George Dockrell. Ireland finished strong on 181/4 with Harry striking Tanzim for two sixes in the final over.

Bangladesh's start with the bat was in stark contrast to their opponents as they ended up losing four wickets inside the PowerPlay while managing just 20 runs. Humphreys inflicted damage early by dismissing Tanzid Hasan in the very first over. Skipper Liton Das fell in the next, while Parvez Hossain Emon and Saif Hassan failed to make a mark as well.

Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali kept Bangladesh's fight alive with the latter striking Gareth Delany for two sixes just before drinks. However, the rest of Bangladesh's order just crumbled after Jaker fell in the 12th over. Humphreys returned to bowl his final over in the 13th and accounted for three Bangladeshi batters ensuring that the hosts never recovered thereafter. Hridoy kept fighting but it was a lone battle. Bangladesh eventually finished on 142/9 in 20 overs.

Brief scores: Ireland 181/4 in 20 overs (Harry Tector 69*, Tim Tector 32; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 2-41) beat Bangladesh 142/9 in 20 overs (Towhid Hridoy 83*; Matthew Humphreys 4-13, Barry McCarthy 3-23) by 39 runs

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WPL Auction: Deepti Sharma costliest buy at INR 3.2 Crore by UP Warriorz

WPL Auction: Deepti Sharma costliest buy at INR 3.2 Crore by UP Warriorz

A win will take CSK to 14 points, 2 ahead of the chasing DC © BCCI

India's World Cup-winning allrounder Deepti Sharma finished as the highest paid player at the WPL 2026 Mega Auction, returning to UP Warriorz for INR 3.2 crore through the RTM card after Delhi Capitals made the only opening bid at her base price. The deal made her the joint second-most expensive signing in WPL Auction history. Amelia Kerr was the next big buy of the day, with Mumbai Indians spending over 52% of their purse to buy her at INR 3 crore. Shikha Pandey also enjoyed a big payday, joining UP Warriorz for INR 2.4 crore after a long bidding war with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Other individuals with paychecks of one crore or more included Sophie Devine (INR 2 crore to Gujarat Giants), Meg Lanning (INR 1.9 crore to UPW), Phoebe Litchfield (INR 1.2 crore to UPW), Asha Sobhana (INR 1.1 crore to UPW), Laura Wolvaardt (INR 1.1 crore to DC), and DC's allrounder pair of Sree Charani and Chinelle Henry, both at INR 1.3 crore. Georgia Wareham rounded off that group with a INR 1 crore deal at GG.

A total of 67 players were sold at the mega auction, including 23 overseas players, with teams spending INR 40.8 crore overall.

There were no bids for the likes of Alyssa Healy, Heather Knight, Amy Jones, Alana King, Heather Graham, Uma Chetry and Marufa Akhter.

UPW, coming in with the biggest purse and four RTM cards, expectedly controlled the key moments across the day. They used RTMs to bring back Deepti at a record bid and Sophie Ecclestone at a steal price of INR 85 lakh after DC briefly held the bid. They then outbid DC for Lanning at INR 1.9 crore, before staving off competing bids to add Litchfield at INR 1.2 crore and legspinner Asha Sobhana at INR 1.1 crore to their squad. They used their remaining couple of RTMs to bring back Kiran Navgire for INR 60 lakh (outbidding RCB) and pacer Kranti Gaud for INR 50 lakh (outbidding DC). Later in the accelerated phases, UPW added Chloe Tryon at INR 30 lakh and USA pacer Tara Norris at INR 10 lakh among others.

MI's decision to go up to INR 3 crore for Kerr, having already retained five players, left them with limited room later on, but they still managed to bring back Shabnim Ismail for INR 60 lakh.

DC opened strongly by signing Wolvaardt for INR 1.1 crore and then pushed hard for Lanning, Deepti and Ecclestone, only to be beaten each time by UPW's RTMs and higher bids. But they managed to redeem their day with two quality allrounders in Sree Charani and Chinelle Henry, both at INR 1.3 crore, Sneh Rana at INR 50 lakh and lastly Lizelle Lee for INR 30 lakh at the back end of the auction.

GG landed Sophie Devine for INR 2 crore after a long three-way contest with RCB and DC. They also secured Renuka Singh for INR 60 lakh and Titas Sadhu for INR 30 lakh. GG used RTMs to keep Bharti Fulmali at INR 70 lakh and Kashvee Gautam at INR 65 lakh, then brought back Kim Garth for INR 50 lakh. Later in the day, they added Georgia Wareham for INR 1 crore, along with wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia for INR 50 lakh.

RCB missed out on Shikha Pandey, going as high as INR 2.20 crore before backing out. Their most expensive purchase was Lauren Bell for INR 90 lakh after a close fight with MI, closely followed by Pooja Vastrakar at INR 85 lakh. Nadine de Klerk and Radha Yadav were picked at INR 65 lakh each while Grace Harris cost them INR 75 lakh.

GG and UPW constructed the largest squads, each featuring a maximum of 18 players, including six overseas players. In contrast, MI, RCB and DC finalized their squads with 16 players each. Following the mega auction, most teams had fully utilized their budget, with only INR 15 lakh remaining with GG and UPW.

WPL squads after mega auction:

Mumbai Indians: Nat Sciver-Brunt (Retained 3.5 Cr), Harmanpreet Kaur (Retained 2.5 Cr), Hayley Mathews (Retained 1.75 Cr), Amanjot Kaur (Retained 1 Cr), G Kamalini (Retained 50 Lakh), Amelia Kerr (3 Cr), Shabnim Ismail (60 Lakh), Sanskriti Gupta (20 Lakh), Sajeevan Sajana (75 Lakh), Rahila Firdous (10 Lakh), Nicola Carey (30 Lakh), Poonam Khemnar (10 Lakh), Triveni Vasistha (20 Lakh), Nalla Reddy (10 Lakh), Saika Ishaque (30 Lakh), Milly Illingworth (10 Lakh)

Delhi Capitals: Jemimah Rodrigues (Retained 2.2 Cr), Shafali Verma (Retained 2.2 Cr), Annabel Sutherland (Retained 2.2 Cr), Marizanne Kapp (Retained 2.2 Cr), Niki Prasad (Retained 50 Lakh), Laura Wolvaardt (1.1 Cr), Chinelle Henry (1.3 Cr), Sree Charani (1.3 Cr), Sneh Rana (50 Lakh), Lizelee Lee (30 Lakh), Deeya Yadav (10 Lakh), Taniyaa Bhatia (30 Lakh), Mamatha Madiwala (10 Lakh), Nandani Sharma (20 Lakh), Lucy Hamilton (10 Lakh), Minnu Mani (40 Lakh)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana (Retained 3.5 Cr), Richa Ghosh (Retained 2.75 Cr), Ellyse Perry (Retained 2 Cr), Shreyanka Patil (Retained 60 Lakh), Georgia Voll (60 Lakh), Nadine de Klerk (65 Lakh), Radha Yadav (65 Lakh), Lauren Bell (90 Lakh), Linsey Smith (30 Lakh), Prema Rawat (RTM 20 Lakh), Arundathi Reddy (75 Lakh), Pooja Vastrakar (85 Lakh), Grace Harris (75 Lakh), Gautami Naik (10 Lakh), Prathyoosha Kumar (10 Lakh), D Hemalatha (30 Lakh)

Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner (Retained 3.5 Cr), Beth Mooney (Retained 2.5 Cr), Sophie Devine (2 Cr), Renuka Singh (60 Lakh), Bharti Fulmali (RTM 70 Lakh), Titas Sadhu (30 Lakh), Kashvee Gautam (RTM 65 Lakh), Kanika Ahuja (30 Lakh), Tanuja Kanwar (45 Lakh), Georgia Wareham (1 Cr), Anushka Sharma (45 Lakh), Happy Kumari (10 Lakh), Kim Garth (50 Lakh), Yastika Bhatia (50 Lakh), Shivani Singh (10 Lakh), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (50 Lakh), Rajeshwari Gayakwad (40 Lakh), Ayushi Soni (30 Lakh)

UP Warriorz: Shweta Sehrawat (Retained 50 Lakh), Deepti Sharma (RTM 3.2 Cr), Sophie Ecclestone (RTM 85 Lakh), Meg Lanning (1.9 Cr), Phoebe Litchfield (1.2 Cr), Kiran Navgire (RTM 60 Lakh), Harleen Deol (50 Lakh), Kranti Goud (RTM 50 Lakh), Asha Sobhana (1.1 Crore), Deandra Dottin (80 Lakh), Shikha Pandey (2.4 Crore), Shipra Giri (10 Lakh), Simran Shaikh (10 Lakh), Tara Norris (10 Lakh), Chloe Tryon (30 Lakh), Suman Meena (10 Lakh), G Trisha (10 Lakh), Pratika Rawal (50 Lakh)

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Trott wants his bowlers to 'get out of' big overs with minimal damage

Trott wants his bowlers to 'get out of' big overs with minimal damage

Two overs went for a total of 60 runs and set up West Indies for a 200+ total and a big win in St Lucia © AFP

Three wins in the group stage saw Afghanistan qualify for the Super 8s at the T20 World Cup and continue their impressive form over the last 12 months, but their first real blip of the tournament came against the West Indies. The tournament co-hosts beat Rashid Khan's side by a massive 104 runs in St Lucia, and it was a harsh reminder of the tough competition that awaits Afghanistan in the next round.

A costly bowling powerplay for Afghanistan saw the West Indies race away to 92 runs and put 218 on the board. A good chunk of that came via two expensive overs that together went for 60 runs and offset some tight bowling otherwise according to Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott.

"I think we could have bowled a little bit better at times, obviously the powerplay wasn't ideal - but I think we bowled well after that. The next ten-odd overs went for something like 60 odd, so it showed that if we did bowl well, we could restrict them," Trott said.

So where can Afghanistan improve? "If we don't start an over well, being able to get out of an over and try and stop that," Trott reckoned. "Today we had two overs in total, went for 60 runs, and that swung the game massively."

Nicholas Pooran's blitzkrieg of 98 in just 53 balls saw him surpass Chris Gayle in terms of most T20I sixes for West Indies, with Pooran's tally now 128 sixes to Gayle's 124. The swashbuckling left-hander took a particular liking to Azmatullah Omarzai, who conceded the joint-most runs (36) in an over in T20Is. That combined with a 24-run over from Rashid Khan really hurt Afghanistan's chances.

Pooran hit 8 sixes on the night and got key support from Johnson Charles at his home ground and skipper Rovman Powell. "I think when somebody gets 98 of 53 balls, I think it's always going to be quite a factor," summed up Trott.

West Indies phased their innings perfectly and targeted the longer boundaries by hitting into the wind. Trott praised the intent and tactic, and added that his bowlers found it difficult to get the batters hitting the ball against the wind.

"I think we saw the West Indies players use the wind factor really well. I mean, the wind was to the bigger, much bigger boundary and they were still able to clear it well. I think maybe we could have bowled a little bit better and get them hitting into, hitting the other way."

The batting performance from Afghanistan was also not upto the mark, with in-form opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz dismissed for a duck. That set the tone for a difficult run chase. Scoring only 45 in the PowerPlay and subsequently crumbling to 57-7 in the middle overs, it was a resounding defeat for the Afghans in the end.

"Chasing a target like 220 is always going to be tricky so we needed things to go away in the PowerPlay and we didn't have a good PowerPlay either. When you have a swing of 92 in the PowerPlay [which] they were at and I think we were 45 - that's a huge swing," Trott said.

Next up, Afghanistan begin their Super 8 fixtures against India on June 20 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.

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Rhythm to batting doesn't really exist on these wickets: Williamson

Rhythm to batting doesn't really exist on these wickets: Williamson

Kane Williamson rued his team's inability to find the right 'method' to bat in the tough conditions during the T20 World Cup © AFP

After the comfortable win against PNG, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson reflected on a T20 World Cup campaign which ended even before it was about to take flight. Two defeats in their first two games, having not played much cricket in the lead-up to the tournament had all but knocked out the side before Afghanistan beat PNG, confirming Kiwis' fate. New Zealand were the last to kickstart their World Cup campaign as they played their first game after a few others had played a couple of them.

"It took a long time to start, and then in a matter of days, we were sort of not in contention, which was frustrating. We wanted to start the campaign strong, and we weren't able to do that. We played against a couple of very strong sides who are very well equipped in these conditions and unfortunately it was the difference in our first two games and then some decent cricket in the last two, so all in all frustrating.

"The reality is that on these wickets 90, maybe 100 can be winning totals, and so T20 batting needs to look a certain way and then if you get a match up then you can get an above par total perhaps. But it's been really unique, a unique experience for all the guys. We always love coming to the Caribbean, it's a fantastic place to be. The conditions have been challenging I think for batters all around, but it's just about trying to find a way."

T20 is deemed a batter's game but this tournament has seen only three 200-plus scores, highlighting the struggles the batters have faced, especially with most of them having featured on terrific batting tracks in the IPL. He spoke about the pitches being challenging in the West Indies and how the conditions were different from what they had experienced on previous tours.

"Naturally the scores are quite low. Rhythm to batting doesn't really exist on these wickets. It's trying to find a method that might allow you to get competitive totals and that's quite different I think to other surfaces that are slightly more even, but that's the challenge that's in front of you and both teams have that. It's a very different style of cricket but it's trying to learn that as quickly as possible, and in a short tournament, that's quite challenging."

"I mean, we knew that we would be experiencing some challenging conditions. I think the up and down nature is quite difficult to prepare for. But at the same time, like I say, it's not about doing it perfectly, it's about trying to find a method and we weren't able to do that as well as we would have liked in the first couple of games."

Meanwhile, for New Zealand's ace fast bowler Trent Boult, the game against PNG was his last in the format for the Kiwis. Having played with Boult at the youth level from 10 to 11 years old, the skipper was cognizant of his contribution to the team over the years and how he would be an inspiration for the youngsters coming through the ranks.

"What he's been able to do in the game, not just for New Zealand but really recognition from all around the world, a skill set, a strong desire to keep getting better and at this stage of his career. He's always brought a great energy, a real willingness to compete, and a big player for us that's difficult to replace.

"I think when somebody puts the time that he has and the effort he's put into his country, it paves the way for new players to come through and see a standard that's been set and I think he can be really proud of that."

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David Wiese retires from international cricket

David Wiese retires from international cricket

David Wiese, 39, signed off from international cricket after the game against England. © Getty

David Wiese, the talisman of the Namibian cricket team, has retired from international cricket. After Namibia's third loss in the ongoing T20 World Cup, to England, the all-rounder was seen waving to the crowd and his teammates.

"I mean, [the] next T20 World Cup is still two years away, I'm 39 years old now, so , in terms of international cricket, I don't know if there's much left in me," Wiese said. "I just feel like what better place to end a special career for me personally with Namibia. I've had a lot of good times with them and to play my last game for them possibly at a World Cup against a world-class team like England, it just seemed like the right time."

Incidentally, Wiese made his T20I and ODI debuts for South Africa in 2013 and 2015 respectively and represented the Proteas in the 2016 edition of the T20 World Cup wherein South Africa were unable to make it out of the group stage. In 2016, the all-rounder opted for a Kolpak deal and signed a three year contract with Sussex ending his international career with South Africa.

He made his debut for Namibia in the 2021 T20 World Cup and was instrumental in the team qualifying for the Super 12s. He almost single handedly took them into the Super 12s in the 2022 edition as well. Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus too confirmed that it was Wiese's last game for Namibia in the post match interview.

Career Batting Statistics

Format Runs

          Innings Strike Rate Average

ODIs 330 15 89.43 25.38

T20Is 624 40 127.86 24.00

Career Bowling Statistics

Format

         Wickets Matches Economy Average

ODIs 15 15 5.58 45.13

T20Is 59 54 7.19 22.02

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Buttler, Archer star as England take series lead at Edgbaston

Buttler, Archer star as England take series lead at Edgbaston

Jofra Archer took 2 for 28 in his first game for England since March 2023. © AFP

A complete bowling performance, following Jos Buttler's 84, helped England take 1-0 lead in the four-match T20I series against Pakistan. Put in to bat in Birmingham, after a washout in Leeds earlier this week, captain Buttler headlined England's 183/6 which seemed sub-par at the halfway mark after a death-overs meltdown. Pakistan, however, had a poor start to the chase, and slipped up again on the other side of the half-century stand between Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam to be shot down for 160 in 19.2 overs.

After a quiet couple of overs, the England openers smacked three boundaries off Shaheen Afridi to force the pacer out of the attack but Imad struck with his very first ball of the game to remove big-hitting Phil Salt for just 13. Will Jacks then joined hands with Buttler to forge a vital 71-run partnership for the second wicket. He got going in the penultimate powerplay over, hitting two boundaries and a six off Haris Rauf to steal 17 off him. England managed a decent 53/1 from the powerplay and the English skipper then switched gears, welcoming Shasab Khan with a four and closing the over with a slogsweep over cow corner for a maximum. After a 14-run opening over, the leggie leaked 17 in his next as Buttler raced towards his half-century.

England had a soild platform of 96/1 at the halfway mark but the drinks break sucked their momentum as Rauf returned to the attack and got the better of Jacks first ball. The wicket slowed England down even as Buttler kept finding the odd six an over. He was aided by a couple of handy cameos from Jonny Bairstow - 21 off 18 - that took England to the verge of 150 in the 16th over but a couple of quick wickets helped Pakistan claw back. Bairstow and Harry Brook departed in the space of five deliveries, leaving England at 147/4. Shaheen Afridi triggered another mini collapse in the death overs as the hosts went from 164/4 to 169/7 with the speedstar claiming two including the all important scalp of Buttler on 84.

Pakistan conceded only 39 runs in the final five overs, 14 of which came in the last one alone as the returning Jofra Archer struck a four and a six to take the home side to a respectable 183/7 whereas they looked set for at least 200 at one stage.

However, the visitors had a forgettable start to the chase with the bat as Mooen got England a breakthrough with just the third delivery. The in-form Mohammad Rizwan fell for a duck, trying to hack the spinner across the line. Moeen burnt a review on Saim Ayub in his following over but the opener didn't last long thereafter, caught at deep backward square trying to pull Reece Topley.

Fakhar Zaman though had different plans, and he wasted no time in launching the counterattack for the remainder of the over saw a flurry of boundaries. After conceding just four in his first-two, even Moeen's third went for 17 runs as Zaman and Babar went on the offensive to stitch a half-century stand. Zaman was the aggressor, smacking a six and a four off Archer in his very first over to help Pakistan finish the powerplay strong on 55/2.

Once the fielding restrictions were off, Buttler took the punt and decided to bowl out Mooen and the allrounder did not disappoint. Back into the attack, he trapped Babar LBW on 32 and even a review couldn't save the Pakistan skipper. Pakistan's chase unraveled from thereon even as Zaman hit a monstrous six in retaliation. Adil Rashid had Shadab Khan holing out in the deep and Archer ended Azam Khan's brief little cameo on 11 at the start of the 12th over. Zaman went down fighting, welcoming Liam Livingstone into the attack with a six but eventually spooning a simple catch to long-on five away from what would have been a deserving half-century.

Imad and Iftikhar Ahmed also launched a counter attack, hammering three sixes and as many fours between them to take 18 off the Rashid over and 16 in Topley's, though the pacer put an end to the fireworks. Rather, it was Iftikhar who threw away a perfect start, slogging one high in the air for long-on to settle under and complete a match-winning catch. Archer took out the other set batter to put the final nail in the coffin. Pakistan lost the final two quickly thereafter, folding with four balls to spare.

Brief scores: England 183/7 in 20 overs (Jos Buttler 84, Will Jacks 37; Shaheen Afridi 3-36, Imad Wasim 2-19) beat Pakistan 160 all out in 19.2 overs (Fakhar Zaman 45, Babar Azam 32; Moeen ali 2-26, Reece Topley 3-41, Jofra Archer 2-28) by 23 runs

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Bangladesh confident of Taskin's recovery

Bangladesh confident of Taskin's recovery 

Bangladesh is expecting Taskin Ahmed to be available in time for their T20 World Cup 2024 opener © Getty

Bangladesh is expecting pace bowler Taskin Ahmed to be available in time for their T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Sri Lanka. The right-arm pace bowler, who is travelling with the team as part of 15-member squad for the ongoing three-match T20I series against the USA, did not feature in the opening two games of the series while he will be missing the third one as well as he is going through a rehabilitation programme in the USA.

Taskin's selection in the 15-member World Cup squad turned out to be a big talking point considering there were doubts regarding his participation after he suffered a displaced fracture in the rib region on the right side.

Bangladesh Cricket Board's chief physician Debashish Chowdhury told Cricbuzz on Friday (May 24) that they received positive feedback on Taskin's recovery following an MRI scan on May 23. "Taskin's improvement is very good and satisfying. He is going through a rehabilitation process and undergoing gym training. He is doing running sessions and we will introduce bowling later," said Debashish.

"We just got the reports [of the MRI scan] and talked to the doctor, and it seemed the fracture is almost healed and now we will slowly introduce him to short run-up bowling and later increase the intensity. He is not having any problem with running and now we will be doing throwing sessions in the coming days before starting to bowl with short run-ups. We are hopeful he will be available from the opening game of the World Cup if he continues to progress in this manner."

Paceman Hasan Mahmud, who was included in the squad for the three-match T20I series, was also included as a reserve player in case Taskin was unable to recover. Bangladesh start their T20 World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on June 7 in Dallas.

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Colin Munro retires from international cricket

Colin Munro retires from international cricket

Munro has hit three T20I tons. © Getty

Colin Munro has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. The aggressive New Zealand batter, who has scored over 3000 runs in international cricket, has not played for the national side in the last four years with his most recent appearance coming in a T20I against India in 2020.

The left-hander first made his debut in a T20I in December 2012 before making his ODI debut the following month. He has played only one Test in his career, back in January 2013 as he was predominantly considered a white-ball specialist. In total, he represented New Zealand 123 times across formats and ended up scoring over 3000 runs.

Munro is the only New Zealand batter with three centuries in T20Is and was a part of the T20 World Cup squads in 2014 and 2016 and was also part of the squad that finished runners-up in the ODI World Cup in 2019. The veteran batter has been plying his trade in franchise cricket around the globe and revealed that he decided to retire after failing to find a spot in the 2024 T20 World Cup squad.

"Playing for the BLACKCAPS has always been the biggest achievement in my playing career," the 37-year-old said. "I never felt prouder than donning that jersey, and the fact that I've been able to do that 123 times across all formats is something I will always be incredibly proud of. Although it has been a while since my last appearance, I never gave up hope that I might be able to return off the back of my franchise T20 form. With the announcement of the BLACKCAPS squad for the T20 World Cup now is the perfect time to close that chapter officially."

NZC chief executive Scott Weenink reserved rich praise for Munro, labelling him as one of the pioneers of 360-degree style batting. "Colin was one of our first players to embrace the aggressive, 360-degree style batting that is now accepted all around the world as best practice," he said, "He was one of the pioneers of the new game, an innovative batsman who took calculated risk-taking to a new level, and led what was to become a revolution in the way short-form cricket was played. We thank him for his amazing contribution in more than hundred international games, and wish him well in his future pursuits."

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আজ সাকিব, সৌম্য, মুস্তাফিজে দৃষ্টি সবার

আজ সাকিব, সৌম্য, মুস্তাফিজে দৃষ্টি সবার

বৃহস্পতিবার মিরপুর শেরেবাংলায় সতীর্থদের সঙ্গে এভাবেই ক্যামেরাবন্দি হলেন সাকিব আল হাসান ও মুস্তাফিজুর রহমান

সফরকারী জিম্বাবুয়ের বিপক্ষে ইতোমধ্যেই সিরিজ জিতেছে বাংলাদেশ। ৫ ম্যাচের টি২০ সিরিজে টানা ৩ জয় তুলে নিয়েছে বন্দরনগরী চট্টগ্রামে। এবার ‘হোম অব ক্রিকেট’ মিরপুর শেরেবাংলা জাতীয় ক্রিকেট স্টেডিয়ামে সিরিজের বাকি দুই ম্যাচের লড়াই। আজ সিরিজের চতুর্থ টি২০ সন্ধ্যা ৬টায় মাঠে গড়াবে এখানে। সিরিজ জেতা হয়ে গেলেও শেষ দুটি ম্যাচে সবার নজর থাকতে ৩ ক্রিকেটার সাকিব আল হাসান, সৌম্য সরকার ও মুস্তাফিজুর রহমানের ওপরে। গত বছর জুলাইয়ের পর আবার টি২০ ফরম্যাটে নামতে চলেছেন সাকিব। আর সৌম্য ইনজুরির কারণে মাঠের বাইরে ছিলেন প্রায় এক মাস এবং তার জন্য অপেক্ষায় থেকেছে টিম ম্যানেজমেন্ট। চট্টগ্রাম থেকেই পূর্ণোদ্যমে অনুশীলন করা এই অলরাউন্ডার এখন মাঠে নামার অপেক্ষায়। ইন্ডিয়ান প্রিমিয়ার লিগে (আইপিএল) দুর্দান্ত পারফর্ম করা বাঁহাতি পেসার মুস্তাফিজুর রহমানও ফিরে অনুশীলন করেছেন। আজ এই তিন ক্রিকেটারেরই মাঠে নামার কথা রয়েছে। মিরপুরের দুটি ম্যাচ জিতলে প্রথমবার কোনো দলের বিপক্ষে ৫-০ ব্যবধানে টি২০ সিরিজ জিতবে। জিম্বাবুয়েকে হোয়াইটওয়াশ করার এই মিশনে বেশ পূর্ণ শক্তির দলই পাচ্ছে বাংলাদেশ। 

গত বছর ওয়ানডে বিশ^কাপ পর্যন্ত সব ফরম্যাটেই অধিনায়ক ছিলেন সাকিব। কিন্তু এ বাঁহাতি অলরাউন্ডার ধারাবাহিকভাবেই অনিয়মিত হয়ে পড়েন আন্তর্জাতিক ক্রিকেটে। বিশ^কাপের পর তাই নাজমুল হোসেন শান্ত ভারপ্রাপ্ত অধিনায়ক হয়েছেন এবং এখন তিনি সব ফরম্যাটেই নেতৃত্বে। এই সময়ে খুব বেশি ম্যাচ খেলেননি সাকিব। সর্বশেষ গত মাসে শ্রীলঙ্কার বিপক্ষে একটি টেস্ট খেলেছেন। আর গত বছর জুলাইয়ে আফগানিস্তানের বিপক্ষে সিলেটে খেলেছেন টি২০।

১০ মাস পর আবার এই ফরম্যাটে ফিরেছেন সাকিব এবং তিনি খেলবেন অধিনায়ক শান্তর অধীনে। সিরিজের প্রথম ৩ ম্যাচে বিশ্রাম পেয়েছেন সাকিব। এই সময়ে যুক্তরাষ্ট্র থেকে ফিরে ঢাকা প্রিমিয়ার লিগে (ডিপিএল) সুপার লিগ খেলেছেন এবং সেঞ্চুরিও পেয়েছেন। এতে মনে হয়েছে বেশ ছন্দেই আছেন এ বাঁহাতি। ম্যাচের আগের দিন বৃহস্পতিবার মিরপুর স্টেডিয়ামের ইনডোরের মাঠে দীর্ঘক্ষণ অনুশীলনও করেছেন তিনি। ওই সময় তাকে বোলিং করেছেন মোহাম্মদ মুস্তাফিজুর রহমান, সৌম্য সরকার ও নেট বোলার। অনুশীলনে স্পিন কোচ মুশতাক আহমেদ লেগস্পিনার রিশাদ হোসেন, বাঁহাতি স্পিনার তানভীর ইসলাম, দুই অফস্পিনার শেখ মেহেদি হাসান ও মাহমুদুল্লাহ রিয়াদকে নিয়ে বেশ ভালো একটা সেশন কাটিয়েছেন। বিশেষ করে বারবার এই সাবেক পাকিস্তানি লেগস্পিনার উদীয়মান রিশাদকে বিভিন্ন পরামর্শ দিয়েছেন। সৌম্য পূর্ণোদ্যমে ব্যাটিং ও বোলিং করেছেন। তাকে নিয়ে সংবাদ সম্মেলনে তাসকিন আহমেদ বলেছেন, ‘কয়েকদিন তো বেশ কঠোর অনুশীলন করেছে সৌম্য। তাকে দেখে আমার বেশ ফিট মনে হয়েছে। প্র্যাকটিসে সবকিছুই করেছে। আমার মনে হয় খেলার জন্য পুরোপুরি ফিট, কিন্তু খেলবে কিনা তা টিম ম্যানেজমেন্টই বলতে পারবে।

সৌম্যর আজ খেলার সম্ভাবনাই বেশি। তিনি খেললে জায়গা ছেড়ে দেওয়া লাগতে পারে তানজিদ হাসান তামিমকে। কারণ লিটন কুমার দাসকে ছন্দে ফেরাতে এ দুই ম্যাচেই প্রচেষ্টা চালিয়ে যাবে টিম ম্যানেজমেন্ট। সেক্ষেত্রে আজকের ম্যাচে ওপেনিং জুটিতে লিটন-সৌম্যকে দেখা যেতে পারে। তানভীরের বদলে একাদশে জায়গা করে নেবেন সাকিব। আর মুস্তাফিজ খেলবেন তানজিম হাসান সাকিব কিংবা মোহাম্মদ সাইফউদ্দিনের জায়গায়। এবার আইপিএল আসরে অসাধারণ বোলিং করেছেন বাঁহাতি মুস্তাফিজ। শ্রীলঙ্কার বিপক্ষে সর্বশেষ সিরিজে একেবারে অগোছাল ছিলেন তিনি। কিন্তু এবার আইপিএল পারফর্ম্যান্সের পর মিরপুরে তার ম্যাজিক দেখার অপেক্ষায় সকলে। এ দুটি ম্যাচ জিতলেই জিম্বাবুয়েকে হোয়াইটওয়াশ করবে বাংলাদেশ। সেই লক্ষ্যেই নামবে তারা। আর জিম্বাবুয়ে ঘুরে দাঁড়াতে মরিয়া এই দুটি ম্যাচে।

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CSK aim to strengthen playoffs chances

CSK aim to strengthen playoffs chances

A win will take CSK to 14 points, 2 ahead of the chasing DC © BCCI

Statistically, there is little to differentiate between the Gujarat Titans and the Chennai Super Kings. However, GT find themselves virtually out of contention for a playoffs berth, barring an improbable numerical miracle. Therefore, when the teams clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday, the pressure will be on the visitors. For them, a win is more of a necessity than for the home side in terms of competitive context. With 12 points from 11 games, they need at least two wins from the remaining three games.

Achieving a win against the Titans will not be easy, despite CSK's recent dominance over the Gujarat side. CSK have won their last three encounters, including this year's season-opener and last year's final. However, with nothing to lose, the Titans can be a dangerous side, especially with skipper Shubman Gill on a mission to prove a point or two over his captaincy. Besides, the Super Kings are depleted, with key bowlers Matheesha Pathirana and Mustafizur Rahman unavailable for different reasons. Both, in fact, have left the camp.

Chennai will largely depend on domestic bowlers such as Tushar Deshpande, Simarjit Singh, Shardul Thakur, and Ravindra Jadeja, besides Mitchll Santner, Moeen Ali, and Richard Gleeson. While they had a fairly easy run against Punjab Kings at Dharamsala, facing the Titans at home, could present a different challenge. This is something that batting coach and mentor Gary Kirsten promised the Titans would be prepared for in their next three games.

"Hopefully (we) have a good last three games. I think it's been one of those seasons where we haven't quite got it going. So after two really good years, to finish on a high note I think would be really important. So I think try and take it one game at a time, see if we can play a really good game of cricket tomorrow. The most important thing for us is playing to the level that we know we are capable of. If we can do that, we give ourselves a good chance of winning a game of cricket," the South African, who will be leaving the franchise to take over as the coach of Pakistan team, said.

A depleted bowling attack apart, CSK have not exactly managed a good start with the bat. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has been impressive but not the other top order batters - Ajinkya Rahane, in particular. But Fleming said one should not expect the sort of starts that Sunrisers Hyderabad from Chennai Super Kings and they will also not adopt that style of full throttle attack.

"Lack of impetus (at the top) and based on what you saw from Sunrises last night? So we are not as risky as other teams, but we're still getting scores that are similar. I know there's a lot of interest in that. We're not all going to play the same way and with the players that we've got, we think we can do it a different way. We're not going to conform to that just because... It is great to watch and it's tough on the bowlers, but we've got a style of play that we're happy with and we're in the mix, so we'll just cement it. That's our style," the New Zealander said.

When: Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2024, May 10, 19:30 IST

Where: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

What to expect: A high-scoring game with the captain winning the toss opting to field first has been the trend. The pitch may be a little worn out but it still looks full of runs.

Head to Head: GT 3 - 3 CSK.

Team Watch:

Gujarat Titans

Injury/Unavailability:No injury concerns for the home team.

Tactics & Matchups:Sai Sudharsan has done well against Ravindra Jadeja - CSK's form bowler, with 32 runs in 21 balls without a dismissal. The left-hander has also taken on one of CSK's best bowler this season Tushar Deshpande in his previous encounters against him. The TN batter could hold the aces against CSK in a must-win fixture.

Probable XI: Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, David Miller, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Mohit Sharma.

Chennai Super Kings

Injury/Unavailability: CSK have a handful of absentees with the likes of Deepak Chahar, Mustafizur Rahman and Matheesha Pathirana not available for rest of the season due to injury and national duty.

Tactics & Matchups: Shardul Thakur could add to Shubman Gill's middling season as he comes with a favourable match-up [36 runs | 31 balls | 2 dismissals] against the GT captain.

Probable XI:Ajinkya Rahane, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Richard Gleeson, Tushar Deshpande

What They said:

"I think he's (Shubman Gill) enjoyed the captaincy. You know, it's something that takes time to really master, but I think he's enjoyed it this season and he's a world class player. So I have no doubt that in the next three games he's going to put in one or two really good performances." - Gary Kirsten on whether captaincy has affected Shubman Gill's batting.

"We thought Mustafizur was going to be here longer. The BCB pulled him a little bit earlier than we'd hoped, but we're covered for that. So that planning is in place. Some of the other injuries have been a little bit more problematic, but we're okay. We've got good resources to cover it and a good group of young players that are ready to go." - Stephen Fleming on injuries to key CSK bowlers.

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Delhi Capitals host powerhouse Royals as campaign enters must-win territory

Delhi Capitals host powerhouse Royals as campaign enters must-win territory

India's two World Cup-bound 'keepers will be up against each other © BCCI/IPL

fast-bowling returns as well. Rajasthan's quicks have been the most economical in the competition at 8.66 while Delhi's are second from bottom, leaking at 11 RPO and averaging 33.78. Even the most economical of DC pacers, Khaleel Ahmed, has averaged 9.47. That said, Delhi do have the upper hand over their Tuesday opponents in one department.

The Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel combo have been pivotal for DC in the bowling department whereas the lacks of returns from the experienced duo of R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal is one chink in RR's otherwise all-round game. Delhi's spinners have claimed 23 wickets at joint-best strike rate of 18.7 and average 25.95 in IPL 2024 whereas RR's have only 17 in 10 games, and a worrisome average of over 43.

When:Tuesday, May 7 at 19:30 IST

Where:Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

What to expect:The average first innings score in Delhi has been a staggering 249 and the overall average at this venue has been 236 in IPL 2024. Expect another high-scoring contest with even square boundaries from the center pitch.

Head to Head:It's 15-13 to RR overall but the tourists only have a 3-5 record at the Feroz Shah Kotla. Royals did win the reverse fixture by 12 runs in Jaipur.

Teams Watch

Delhi Capitals

Injuries & Availability: Head Coach Ricky Ponting confirmed that Ishant Sharma is fit and available for selection tomorrow, and also sounded confident of having David Warner back for the game although a final call on his fitness was to be taken after the team's pre-match training session on Monday evening.

Tactics & Matchups:Sanju Samson's consistency has been a big factor in RR's success this year, but the RR skipper strikes at under 122 against both Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. The DC spn twins have also dismissed the RR captain three times between them, which makes for an interesting match-up.

Probable XI:David Warner, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abhishek Porel, Rishabh Pant (C, wk), Tristan Stubbs, Shai Hope, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Yadav [Impact sub: Rasikh Salam]

Rajasthan Royals

Injuries & Availability: No injury concerns to report from the RR camp.

Tactics & Matchups: All three of Delhi's top run-getters - Pant, Stubbs and Fraser-McGurk - are averaging under 20 against legspin in IPL 2024. Having produced flashes of brilliance previously, if Chahal can rediscover his rhythm he can break the back of Delhi's big-hitting middle-order.

Probable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (c, wk), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, R Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Sharma [Impact sub: Yuzvendra Chahal]

Did you know?

- A six has been hit in every eight legal balls in Delhi in IPL 2024

- A staggering 88.8% of Jake Fraser-McGurk's runs in IPL 2024 have come in boundaries

- All three games in Delhi this season have been won by teams batting first

What they said:

"We know that we are coming up against a very good Rajasthan side, but we know if we play our best cricket, as we have seen in the tournament so far, if we can play our best cricket for 40 overs, then I'll guarantee we'll be hard to beat. It doesn't matter who we play or where we play them, we know we can beat anybody." - DC head coach Ricky Ponting

"When you take over the captain's role, there's a lot that comes with it... what Sanju [Samson] has learned from the last couple of years is managing all that, managing his time managing his energy, leaning on the senior players in the group. And by balancing all that it's got the best out of him... It's been exciting for us as a team to see him get World Cup selection. We're all delighted for him. He's playing beautifully and then hopefully he can just keep leading us through the back end of this tournament.: - RR fast-bowling coach Shane Bond

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একই দিনে দুই রূপ, ভক্তদের যে বার্তা দিলেন সাকিব

একই দিনে দুই রূপ, ভক্তদের যে বার্তা দিলেন সাকিব

মাঠ এবং মাঠের বাইরে আলোচনা-সমালোচনা নিত্যদিনের সঙ্গী সাকিব আল হাসানের। ফের তাকে ঘিরে আলোচনা-সমোলোচনা তুঙ্গে।

ডিপিএলে প্রাইম ব্যাংক ক্রিকেট ক্লাবের বিপক্ষে সকালে খেলতে ফতুল্লা গিয়েছিলেন সাকিব। ম্যাচের আগে প্রাইম ব্যাংকের কোচ সালাউদ্দিন এবং শেখ জামালের কোচ সোহেল ইসলামের সঙ্গে কথা বলছিলেন সাকিব। এ সময় সেলফি নেওয়ার জন্য সাকিবের দিকে এগিয়ে আসেন এক ভক্ত। তবে সাকিব বুঝতে পেরে ইশারায় না বললেও তাদের আলোচনার মধ্যেই সেলফি নিতে ঢুকে পড়েন সেই ভক্ত।

বিষয়টি ভালোভাবে নেননি দেশসেরা এই ক্রিকেটার। এ সময় মেজাজ হারিয়ে ভক্তের দিকে তেড়ে যান তিনি। ঘাড় ধাক্কা দিয়ে সরিয়ে দেন সেই ভক্তকে। এমনকি তাকে চড় মারতেও উদ্ধত হন সাকিব; যা নিয়ে শুরু হয়েছে নানান সমালোচনা।

সোমবার (৬ মে) প্রাইম ব্যাংকের বিপক্ষে শোচনীয় পরাজয় বরণ করতে হয়েছে সাকিব আল হাসানের শেখ জামাল ধানমন্ডি ক্লাবকে। এদিন ব্যাট হাতে রান পাননি সাকিব।

কিন্তু ম্যাচ শেষে ভক্তরা সাকিবের কাছে অটোগ্রাফ এবং সেলফির আবদার করেছিলেন, বিশ্বসেরা অলরাউন্ডার তাদের সেসব আবদারও মিটিয়েছেন।

ফলে একই দিনে সাকিবের দুই রূপ দেখল ভক্তরা। এর মধ্য দিয়েই হয়তো ভক্তদের বার্তা দিলেন সাকিব। ‘ভক্ত, আপনি যত বড়ই হন না কেন, চাইলে আপনিও একটা ভালো মুহূর্তের সাক্ষী হতে পারেন।’ তবে সেটা সীমার মধ্যে থেকে। নাহলে শুধু সাকিব কেন, শান্ত স্বভাবের মুশফিক-মাহমুদউল্লাহরাও মেজাজ হারাতে বাধ্য হন।

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বিশ্বকাপে হতে পারে জঙ্গি হামলা, হুমকি পাকিস্তানের জঙ্গি সংগঠনের

বিশ্বকাপে হতে পারে জঙ্গি হামলা, হুমকি পাকিস্তানের জঙ্গি সংগঠনের

বিশ্বকাপ চলাকালীন জঙ্গি হামলার আশঙ্কা তৈরি হয়েছে

টি-টোয়েন্টি বিশ্বকাপ শুরু হতে এক মাসও বাকি নেই। চলছে শেষ মুহূর্তের প্রস্তুতি। এর মধ্যেই দেখা দিয়েছে নতুন সমস্যা। বিশ্বকাপ চলাকালীন জঙ্গি হামলার আশঙ্কা তৈরি হয়েছে। জানা গেছে বিশ্বকাপ চলাকালে হামলার হুমকি দিয়েছে পাকিস্তানের একটি জঙ্গি সংগঠন।

বাড়ানো হয়েছে নিরাপত্তা। এনিয়ে একটি প্রতিবেদন প্রকাশ করেছে ক্রিকেটবিষয়ক জনপ্রিয় ওয়েবসাইট ক্রিকবাজ। তাদের প্রতিবেদনটিতে বলা হয়েছে, এই হুমকি দিয়েছে উত্তর পাকিস্তানের একটি জঙ্গি সংগঠন প্রো-ইসলামিক স্টেট (দাইশ)।

পাকিস্তানের একটি গণমাধ্যমে জঙ্গি সংগঠনটি দাবি করেছে, বিশ্বকাপ চলাকালীন নাশকতা করা হবে। যে গণমাধ্যমে এই খবর প্রকাশিত হয়েছে মূলত সেটি ইসলামিক স্টেট সংগঠন মালিকানাধীন।

প্রতিবেদনটিতে আরও বলা হয়েছে, প্রো-ইসলামিক স্টেট সামাজিক যোগাযোগমাধ্যমে বিভিন্ন ধরনের ভিডিও প্রকাশ করছে। বিভিন্ন সময়ে খেলার মাঠে ঘটে যাওয়া সব নাশকতার ভিডিও সেগুলো।

এ ধরনের ভিডিও প্রকাশের পাশাপাশি পাকিস্তান ও আফগানিস্তানের নাগরিকদের তাদের লড়াইয়ে যুক্ত হওয়ার প্রস্তাব দিচ্ছে জঙ্গি সংগঠনটি। এদিকে ওয়েস্ট ইন্ডিজ ক্রিকেট বোর্ডের পক্ষ থেকে জানানো হয়েছে, বিশ্বকাপে অংশ নেওয়া প্রতিটি দেশের ক্রিকেটার ও সাপোর্ট স্টাফ এবং দর্শকদের সর্বোচ্চ নিরাপত্তা দেওয়া হবে।

ক্যারিবিয় ক্রিকেট বোর্ডের প্রধান নির্বাহী বলেছেন, ‘এ বিষয়ে ক্রিকেটের সর্বোচ্চ সংস্থা আইসিসির সঙ্গে যোগাযোগ রাখা হচ্ছে। যে মাঠগুলোতে বিশ্বকাপের ম্যাচ অনুষ্ঠিত হবে সেখানে ও টিম হোটেলে, নিশ্ছিদ্র নিরাপত্তা নিশ্চিত করা হবে। সব দেশকে জানানো হচ্ছে যে, ক্রিকেটার, সাপোর্ট স্টাফ ও দর্শকদের নিরাপত্তা তাদের প্রধান লক্ষ্য।’

চলতি বছর জুনের শুরুতে মাঠে গড়াবে টি-টোয়েন্টি বিশ্বকাপ। ওয়েস্ট ইন্ডিজ এবং মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্র যৌথভাবে আয়োজন করছে ক্রিকেটের সংক্ষিপ্ত ফরম্যাটের নবম আসর। প্রথমবারের মতো আইসিসির বৈশ্বিক আসরে অংশ নেবে ২০টি দল।

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পাপনের কাছে যে আবদার সাকিবের!

পাপনের কাছে যে আবদার সাকিবের!

চলতি ডিপিএলে শেখ জামাল ধানমন্ডি ক্লাবের হয়ে খেলছেন সাকিব আল হাসান। দলটির হয়ে গত শুক্রবার (৩ মে) সেঞ্চুরির দেখাও পেয়েছেন দেশ সেরা এই অলরাউন্ডার। ডিপিএল ইতিহাসে এটিই সাকিবের প্রথম সেঞ্চুরি।

সবমিলিয়ে প্রায় পাঁচ বছর পর তিন অঙ্কের ম্যাজিক ফিগারের দেখা পেয়েছেন সাবেক এই টাইগার দলপতি। এবার স্বস্তির এই সেঞ্চুরির পর বাংলাদেশ ক্রিকেট বোর্ড (বিসিবি) সভাপতি নাজমুল হাসান পাপনের কাছে আবদারও রেখেছেন সাকিব।

শনিবার (৪ মে) সতীর্থ রুবেল হোসেনের মোটরসাইকেল শো-রুম উদ্বোধন অনুষ্ঠানে এসেছিলেন সাকিব। পরে গণমাধ্যমের মুখোমুখি হয়েছিলেন তিনি। সেখানে সাকিবের কাছে জানতে চাওয়া হয়, সেঞ্চুরির জন্য বিসিবি সভাপতি তাকে (সাকিব) অভিনন্দন জানিয়েছেন কি না; জবাবে সাকিবের মন্তব্য, ‘পাপন (ভাই) আমাকে অভিনন্দন জানাননি বলে আজকে ফোন দিয়ে বলেছি, ‘‘পাপন (ভাই), এতদিন পরে সেঞ্চুরি করলাম কী দেবেন?’’ জীবনে প্রথমবার প্রিমিয়ার লিগে সেঞ্চুরি করলাম।’

এদিকে একইদিনে রাজধানীর একটি হোটেলে গণমাধ্যমের মুখোমুখি হয়েছিলেন বিসিবি বস। এ সময়ে সাকিবের বিষয়ে পাপনের মন্তব্য, ‘সাকিব তো লিগে সেঞ্চুরি করল এতদিন পরে। এটা তো দারুণ ইঙ্গিত দেয়। আজকে সকালে আমাকে কল দিয়ে সাকিব বলে আমি কেন তাকে অভিনন্দন জানাইনি।

অন্যদিকে টি-টোয়েন্টি বিশ্বকাপ নিয়েও নিজের ভাবনার কথা জানান সাকিব। যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের সঙ্গে সিরিজ নিয়ে তার ভাষ্য, ‘যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের সঙ্গে খেলার আরেকটি বড় কারণ কন্ডিশনের সঙ্গে মানিয়ে নেওয়া। বিশেষ করে জায়গাটা সম্পর্কে জানা। আমাদের খুব বেশি খেলোয়াড় নেই, যারা যুক্তরাষ্ট্রে খেলেছে। ফ্লোরিডায় আমাদের অল্প কয়েকজনের খেলার অভিজ্ঞতা আছে (২০১৮ সালে)।’

সাকিব যোগ করেন, ‘কন্ডিশনের সঙ্গে অভ্যস্ত হব আমরা। তবে একইসঙ্গে বলব, অবশ্যই এটা আদর্শ না। আপনি যখন কঠিন প্রতিপক্ষের সঙ্গে খেলে যাবেন, নিউজিল্যান্ডের মতো কন্ডিশনে নিউজিল্যান্ড–পাকিস্তানের সঙ্গে আমরা খেলে বিশ্বকাপ (২০২২) খেলতে গিয়েছিলাম, স্বাভাবিকভাবেই নিজেদের সেরা প্রস্তুতি নিয়ে খেলতে গিয়েছিলাম। সে হিসেবে এটা আদর্শ না। তবে এটাই প্রস্তুতি নেওয়ার আমাদের সম্ভাব্য সেরা উপায়।

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